About Us > Newsroom > 2018 > South Jersey Gas Supports Blackwood Fire Company With $3,000 First Responders Grant

Newsroom

South Jersey Gas Supports Blackwood Fire Company With $3,000 First Responders Grant

FOLSOM, N.J. – South Jersey Gas, a subsidiary of SJI (NYSE: SJI), is proud to present the Blackwood Fire Company with a $3,000 grant as part of the utility’s First Responders Grant Program. Blackwood Fire Company is one of eight recipients selected to receive the latest round of grants from South Jersey Gas. The grant funds will be used by the department to purchase brackets needed to safely mount self-contained breathing apparatuses (S.C.B.A.) into their firetrucks.

“Each year, our First Responders Grant Program provides vital financial assistance to support operations, improve safety and provide training to departments throughout the South Jersey region,” said Dave Robbins, president of South Jersey Gas. “This investment is a way for South Jersey Gas to help our hardworking, courageous first responders and express our gratitude for the work they do each day to ensure our communities remain safe and well protected. We are proud to partner with the Blackwood Fire Company and commend them for their efforts.”

The self-contained breathing apparatus is a vital life safety tool that protects firefighters from a multitude of hazardous situations in the field – from structure fires to carbon monoxide incidents. Each S.C.B.A. is mounted with brackets into firetrucks, which secures the device while firefighters are responding to calls and gives them mobility when the breathing apparatus is not in use.

As part of Blackwood Fire Company’s commitment to safety, the department is currently in the process of replacing all existing S.C.B.A. with new, upgraded devices. As a result, all mounting brackets will also be replaced so that each truck can safely and securely hold each new device. The department expects to purchase, install and deploy all new S.C.B.A. by mid-2018.

“On behalf of our entire department, we would like to thank South Jersey Gas for their generosity in selecting us for this grant award,” said Blackwood Fire Department Captain Frank Reiss. “These necessary upgrades to our equipment demonstrate our tireless commitment to the service and protection of the Blackwood community – allowing for quicker deployment of our firefighters in hazardous situations and providing peace of mind for all of the residents we serve.”

“I congratulate the members of Blackwood Fire Company on this award, and recognize each of them for their continued dedication to the community,” said Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer. “The safety and overall well-being of our residents is vitally important to myself, Gloucester Township officials and all of our public safety departments. This grant helps ensure our firefighters can best serve those in need, and we thank our friends at South Jersey Gas for their generosity.”

The First Responders Grant Program will be offered again in Fall 2018. All First Responders Grant Program recipients represent local police, fire or emergency medical services departments that are comprised of paid or volunteer staff members serving residents in municipalities located within the utility’s service area. Program information, eligibility guidelines and applications are available on the South Jersey Gas website at: www.southjerseygas.com/community.

About South Jersey Gas

South Jersey Gas, subsidiary of South Jersey Industries (NYSE:SJI), delivers safe, reliable, affordable natural gas and promotes energy efficiency to approximately 383,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, and portions of Gloucester, Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey. Visit www.southjerseygas.com to learn more about South Jersey Gas and its programs.